New 2-pitch start to the SW summit with Bill Lucia. Traverse from SW summit to true summit (with the exception of the 4th-easy 5th dirt traverse) a great finish! What a pain-in-the-ass to get to, but the payoff is tremendous too... Hiked the 5 or 10 minutes from our bivy spot to the true summit 9/9. What a trip!

Also climbed Spire Point after which was a good bonus. The summit ending had one spot that made me feel uncomfortable in plastics but managed with a nice belay across it. Not needed, but certainly nice.

Summited Dome with gimpilator and co. and then climbed the south face of the east peak (higher of the two) of Spire Point. Both amazing summits on excellent rock. Hoping to return for Sinister and the southwest summit of Dome.

For my 30th birthday we decided to climb something special. This peak is a long way from anywhere but well worth the effort. A large bergschrund at the top of the Chikamin Glacier prevented us from getting nearby Sinister peak.

Traversed below (but much to my dismay did not summit) Dome Peak on a NOLS Outdoor Educator course. Approached from the south by way of Glacier Peak (which WAS summited), Buck Creek Pass, Image and Canyon Lakes, and Ross Pass, Totem Pass, then onto the east Chikamin Glacier from a pass just south of Blue Mountain. In consideration of low food stores, the average experience level of our two rope teams, and three days to get out to Mineral Park, we agreed with our instructors that it was not within our best judgment to spend much of the day summiting Dome or any of the surrounding peaks. But I will be back. Soon.

Great way to end the Ptarmigan Traverse. Was great sitting at White Rocks for a few days looking out at the dripping glaciers below Dome Peak, then wake up the next morning and pick your way to the summit. I great summit in an outstanding area.

Dome is downright intimidating when viewed from the White Rock Lakes across the Agnes Creek drainage to the North. We approached via the Ptarmigan Traverse and nearly got one of our 4 members plucked off the Dana Glacier by a small ice/rock fall. Had amazing views of the forest fire plumes in the setting sun the night before at Beckey's recommended 6400' camp, got a break in the clouds, and thoroughly enjoyed the climb on the heels of a party of 6 friendly fellows. Thanks to them for approaching via Batchelor Creek which was truly grueling, but made tolerable by their many boots trampling down the brush twice before we struggled through.

In 1986 a different group intended to follow the same route as the 1975 party took. In the low snow years of the '80s, there were many open crevasses and a large 'shrund at the top of the Chikamin Glacier that we were not equipped to handle, so we returned back the way we had come. Another difference in the 1986 trip was that the summit boulder on Dome Peak's summit was gone. Click here for a photo of how the summit looked in 1986.

Climbing Dome Peak was the centerpiece of a cross-country trip I enjoyed with my mountaineering mentors, who also happened to be my uncle and aunt. We did nearly a complete loop, starting at the Downey Creek trail on the Suiattle River Road, and ending at the end of the Suiattle River Road two miles from the starting point. The route follows the southern terminus of the Ptarmigan Traverse proper, then instead of crossing Spire Col and proceeding to White Rock Lakes, we left the route, crossed Itswoot Ridge, then ascended the slopes toward Dome, crossing the upper portion of Dome Glacier, and climbing to the high col NW of the summit. There we camped for two nights in terrific weather. On the day between the two nights we climbed Dome using the summit ridge. In 1975 the "curiously perched boulder" mentioned by Beckey was still on the summit. The trip continued down the Chikamin Glacier to the east, over the Spruce-Chikamin ridge at the east end of the glacier, then SW to Garden Pass, Ross Pass, Totem Pass, and Canyon Lake, then by trail to Image Lake and down Miners Ridge to the Suiattle River and out to the cars. From the Dome Peak area on, this route constitutes one of the extensions of the Ptarmigan Traverse. Click here for a photo of yours truly sitting on the summit boulder of Dome Peak.